Get exclusive travel offers and guides

6 best ski resorts in Australia | Find out where to go in the 2018 snow season

Do the snow like a pro this year with our ultimate guide to the best ski resorts Australia.

You'd be forgiven for not having Australia as number one on your list of places to ski; the lift passes can be pricey and the weather conditions are unpredictable at best. But let’s face it, a six hour drive is always going to be a more affordable, and convenient, option than a 24 hour flight to Canada. Plus, who doesn’t love a road trip, right?

So for those of you keen to embrace the cooler weather, dust off your ski boots, load up the car and take advantage of the ski resorts right on your doorstep!

Map of ski resorts Australia locations

Thredbo

Despite being home to the longest ski run in Australia, Thredbo's main claim to fame is its off-piste action.

If you're more concerned around warm fires and schnapps than snow conditions, then this is the ski resort for you. With 11 ski-in ski-out restaurants on the mountain and plenty of shops, cafes and bars in the village, Thredbo has you covered.

Location: Kosciusko National Park, New South Wales (6.5-hour drive from Sydney)

Mt Hotham

If you’re looking for a more thigh-challenging ski holiday, then Mt. Hotham could be the place for you. It's is a purpose-built ski resort renowned for its steep verticals and challenging terrain.

The village is unique as it’s located on top of the mountain, instead of at the bottom like traditional resorts. This not only means that you ski down for the first lifts of the day, but you’re also staying up in the clouds.

Location: Australian Alps National Park, Victoria (4.5-hour drive from Melbourne)

Falls Creek

Falls Creek definitely takes first prize for having the prettiest alpine village. This resort has a small village that's full of restaurants, cafes and bars. Like Charlotte Pass, Falls Creek is a good one for beginners.

Unlike other mountains, here beginners are not relegated to the lower slopes. More than 80% of the mountain is dedicated to beginner and intermediate skiers so there is plenty to ski for all.

See the latest snow deals in Australia

Valid for travel from 31 October - 12 December 2018, 30 January - 27 March 2019 and 7-30 May 2019. Destinations include Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown and Dunedin. Sample fare is Brisbane-Christchurch.

Valid for travel on select dates from September - December 2018 and January - May 2019. Destinations include Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and Wellington. Sample fare is from Melbourne-Christchurch.

Winter travel insurance guide

Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned professional, snow trips always come with an increased risk of injury. But injury is not the only unexpected financial cost you can experience. Bad weather and ski lift closures can leave you with unused ski passes, and costly equipment can easily get lost or damaged. The risks involved in ski holidays are unique, so it makes sense to acquire snow specific travel insurance. This guide will outline the benefits of winter travel insurance and what to look out for when comparing policy options.

Key winter specific insurance features

In the event of a serious accident on the ski fields, snow travel insurance cover can ensure that you are covered for emergency evacuation to the hospital and even for helicopter rescue if this is required.

In the event that you forced to cancel your trip due to extreme weather such as blizzards and snowstorms, your snow travel insurance cover will enable you to recoup prepaid costs and expenses.

Ski equipment is and always has been expensive, especially within Australia. Winter sports travel insurance will ensure that in the event of loss or damage to you ski or snowboard equipment, you will be able to make a claim to cover the costs. This cover can apply for your own equipment and hire equipment, with some policies providing an additional benefit to cover the costs of hiring new equipment. In the event that your transport carrier has misdirected or delayed your equipment for a period longer than 24 hours, the insurer will cover the costs of you hiring new equipment.

Some people spend a long time looking forward to their trip, travelling to their destination, getting the equipment they need and then finding that once they get there the weather is too bad to hit the slopes. Many snow travel insurance plans will cover you for transport and accommodation expenses if you are forced to travel to a new resort.

Depending on which cover you take out, you may also be covered for unused ski passes, equipment hire and lessons in the event that you are unwell or as a result of loss or theft.

Many providers will allow you to take out additional cover for single-trip heli-skiing trips for an additional premium loading. This cover can be purchased after starting your trip, provided it is taken out at least 24 hours prior to beginning your heli-ski trip. It is worth noting that most insurers will not provide cover for any event that has occurred while travelling in a helicopter or disembarking a helicopter. It is worth noting that the inclusion of this option on your policy will generally require an additional excess to be paid in the event of a claim.

Some providers will cover the cost of transport to a new resort and the provision of additional ski passes in the event that you are forced to move to a new resort due to lift systems being closed on account of;

Disclaimer - Hive Empire Pty Ltd (trading as finder.com.au, ABN: 18 118 785 121) provides factual information, general advice and services on financial products as a Corporate Authorised Representative (432664) of Advice Evolution Pty Ltd AFSL 342880. Please refer to our FSG - Financial Products. We also provide general advice on credit products under our own Credit Licence ACL 385509. Please refer to our Credit Guide for more information. We can also provide you with general advice and factual information on about a range of other products, services and providers. We are also a Corporate Authorised Representative of Countrywide Tolstrup Financial Services Group Pty Ltd. ABN 51 586 953 292 AFSL 244436 for the provision of general insurance products. Please refer to our FSG - General Insurance. We hope that the information and general advice we can provide will help you make a more informed decision. We are not owned by any Bank or Insurer and we are not a product issuer or a credit provider. Although we cover a wide range of products, providers and services we don't cover every product, provider or service available in the market so there may be other options available to you. We also don't recommend specific products, services or providers. If you decide to apply for a product or service through our website you will be dealing directly with the provider of that product or service and not with us. We endeavour to ensure that the information on this site is current and accurate but you should confirm any information with the product or service provider and read the information they can provide. If you are unsure you should get independent advice before you apply for any product or commit to any plan. (c) 2018.

Thank you for your feedback.

Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.

Important information about this website

finder.com.au is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We compare from a wide set of major banks, insurers and product issuers.

finder.com.au has access to track details from the product issuers listed on our sites. Although we provide information on the products offered by a wide range of issuers, we don't cover every available product. You should consider whether the products featured on our site are appropriate for your needs and seek independent advice if you have any questions.

Products marked as 'Promoted' or "Advertisement" are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options and find the best option for you.

The identification of a group of products, as 'Top' or 'Best' is a reflection of user preferences based on current website data. On a regular basis, analytics drive the creation of a list of popular products. Where these products are grouped, they appear in no particular order.

Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment.

We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.

Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labelling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.

Providing or obtaining an estimated insurance quote through us does not guarantee you can get the insurance. Acceptance by insurance companies is based on things like occupation, health and lifestyle. By providing you with the ability to apply for a credit card or loan we are not guaranteeing that your application will be approved. Your application for credit products is subject to the Provider's terms and conditions as well as their application and lending criteria.

Please read our website terms of use for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.